STAMP OF APPROVAL - a selection story

"did you seriously just quote Princess Diaries 2?"

"Being afraid of a woman and being afraid in war are two very different things." Summit rounds the corner, narrowing his eyes. I honestly think he has no idea where he's going, but Bard seems to have a pretty good idea.

"You have experience in both, Summit?" Jesse asks, teasing.

Summit grins, looking over his shoulder at us. "Maybe."

"You're afraid of women?" Bard raises a brow.

He laughs. "Heck no. I'm not afraid of anything. But I've known guys who are."

"Do you know where we're going?" I ask. I don't think I've been around this part of the castle before. But if it's where Charlotte is, then that's probably why.

"To Charlotte," Summit supplies.

I give him a pointed look.

"Here we are," Bard announces, stopping in front of a door. I frown, walking up to it.

"You sure?"

He nods. "I memorized where all the royals are, and all the selected."

"In your freetime?" Jesse looks surprised. "Dude, you need a life."

Bard only laughs. "I'm trying."

"Or a girl," Summit cuts in, nudging Bard. He only pushes him off.

"I'm here, aren't I?" Bard smiles.

We're all silent for a moment.

"So, who's knocking?" Jesse asks.

I take a step back away from the door.

Bard pushes me forward. "Levi is."

I turn to him in surprise. "I don't think that's—"

"You said yourself, you have experience in dealing with females, more than any of us do, so... go ahead." He gives me a nod, a quick smile, then it fades. His expression is more prompting now.

I glance toward Jesse and Summit and they both nod at me.

I stifle a groan and knock.

"Who is it?" I don't recognize it as Charlotte's voice. I pause before I answer, turning to the guys behind me.

"Go on!" they harshly whisper at me, motioning for me to answer.

"It's uh Levi," I call back.

It's silent for a second before, "It's open!"

I recognize that as Charlotte's voice. I grasp the hand and open the door. It swings open faster than I thought, and before I can turn to the guys behind me, my eyes catch on the figure standing in the middle of the room, maids at her every side, a blue gown billowing at her feet.

Charlotte meets my eyes immediately. I swallow. She smiles.

My eyes travel down her dress, to the maids surrounding it, the seamstress putting pins in certain places, and for a second I can't think of anything else except how beautiful she is at the moment, in her blue gown designed with gold flowers.

Someone nudges me and I almost fall forward.

"Well?" the seamstress starts. "What do you boys think?"

I don't even notice my face is on fire until it's too late.

"Go on," the seamstress continues when none of us say anything. My eyes are only on Charlotte, as she dips her head, a blush lighting her cheeks. "Tell her how beautiful she is!" She grins at Charlotte, then turns a stubborn look at us.

Faster than anything, we all say how beautiful she is.

Charlotte lifts her head, just holding it together enough to say her thanks.